BIRTHDAY BLING

All that glitters is not plastic.

When Lucy receives a gift card for her 10th birthday, she assumes it’s like the credit card that trendy classmate Avery shows off. But when Lucy attempts to buy an expensive sweatshirt, she realizes that her card has a strict spending limit. The experience upsets Lucy, though her frugal friend and neighbor Julian attempts to comfort her. Later that evening, their teenage babysitter, Oona, teaches them the differences between credit, debit, and gift cards and gives them a hands-on lesson in how interest works. The allure of a high credit limit dims as Lucy learns just how easily debt can snowball. Lucy’s material envy gives way to a thrifty alternative thanks to Julian, whose in-story Moola Man comic closes out the book. Kote’s illustrations capture the emotions and diversity of Lucy and Julian’s neighborhood well. Each chapter heading includes an illustration of a gift card next to a credit card, helping readers notice the unique details of each. The financial lessons are sound and clearly conveyed, and though this is a purposeful book, with an obvious takeaway, Lucy’s interest in sports and horror movies makes her a more well-rounded character than she might otherwise have been. Lucy appears tan in the grayscale illustrations, while Avery is lighter-skinned, Oona is dark-skinned, and Julian reads as Asian.

An important lesson in both finance and in weighing wants versus needs.